Tree Cutting Central Coast NSW

Tree Cutting Central Coast, New South Wales

Local Tree Removal Gosford provides tree cutting on the Central Coast, including cutting back overhanging branches, removing dead or dangerous limbs, and clearing trees from roofs, driveways and wires, with tree removal and stump grinding if a tree can’t be saved. This page explains whose tree you can cut, and how much.

Call 0419 136 537 Send An Enquiry

10%Most foliage council lets you prune per growing season without a permit

50 mmBranch width limit for that light-pruning exemption

3 mTree work this close to Ausgrid powerlines needs accredited workers

1 mDistance from telecommunication wires covered by council’s pruning exemption

Whose Tree Is It?

Who owns the tree decides who can cut it, and who has to approve the cutting.

The tree is…	What to know
On your own land	Central Coast Council’s tree chapter protects all vegetation unless an exemption applies. The exemptions most people use are below, and the full list is on our home page.
On your neighbour’s land, with branches over your side	Legal Aid NSW says you may be able to cut overhanging branches back to the boundary, but you should check with council first. Your neighbour has no legal obligation to cut them, so speak to them first, including about costs. Council’s number is 02 4306 7900.
A council tree on the nature strip or in a reserve	It isn’t yours to cut. Council’s rules cover removal from public land by anyone other than a public authority, so contact council.
Touching or near powerlines or a service wire	Ausgrid says you’re responsible for keeping growth on your land clear of the service wire to your house, and that any trimming within three metres of its lines must be done by workers accredited under the SafeWork code of practice. Ausgrid’s general number is 13 13 65.

Damaging a neighbour’s tree can make you liable. Legal Aid NSW says you can be held legally responsible if you damage a tree while cutting overhanging branches, and that you can’t cut down a tree on your neighbour’s property without their consent. If you can’t agree, Legal Aid NSW can arrange mediation in some cases, on 1300 888 529.

What Council Lets You Cut On Your Own Land

Light cutting

Up to 10% of the foliage once each growing season, with branches no thicker than 50 mm, cut to AS 4373-2007.

Dead branches

Pruning dead branches to AS 4373-2007 is exempt. Removing a whole dead tree is exempt too, with arborist evidence kept for six months.

Wires and roofs

Council exempts pruning within 3 m of powerlines by a licensed contractor, or within 1 m of telecommunication wires. Branches directly over a roofline are exempt to AS 4373-2007, with a pruning specification from at least an AQF3 arborist.

None of these exemptions apply to threatened species, habitat trees for threatened fauna, endangered ecological communities or heritage items. Our arborist page explains the evidence council asks for.

Before You Book Tree Cutting

Work out whose tree and whose branches they are, using the table above.
Look for wires. If any branch is within 3 m of powerlines, only accredited workers can cut it.
Check how thick the branches are. The 10% exemption stops at 50 mm, and thicker branches over a roof need a written pruning specification.
Photograph the tree before any cutting, and keep the pruning specification if you need one.
Decide whether cutting is enough. If the tree is dead or beyond saving, see our tree removal page. If it’s a hard cutback, our tree lopping page covers what to check first.
If branches have come down in a storm, go to emergency tree removal first.

Get your tree looked at

Tell us where the branches are, what they’re over or touching, and whether the tree is yours, your neighbour’s or council’s. Photos help.

Call 0419 136 537